The aim of this paper was to explore pharmacistsââ?¬â?¢ views on reclassifications from\npharmacy-only to general sales and their experiences with the supply of these medicines, in addition\nto pharmacistsââ?¬â?¢ views on the reclassification of the shingles vaccine and sildenafil to be available\nthrough ââ?¬Ë?accreditedââ?¬â?¢ pharmacists. New Zealand community pharmacists were surveyed in 2013\nwith a written questionnaire of six Likert-style or open-ended questions sent to Pharmacy Guild\nmember pharmacies. The analysis involved descriptive statistics. Responses were received from\n246 pharmacies. Two thirds of pharmacists supported the reclassification of the shingles vaccine\nand sildenafil, although 14% disagreed with the sildenafil reclassification. Over 90% of pharmacists\ndisagreed with the reclassification of paracetamol and ibuprofen liquids, omeprazole, naproxen,\nand oxymetazoline from pharmacy-only medicine to general sales. This opinion was strongest for\nomeprazole. With liquid paracetamol and ibuprofen, pharmacists described consumer confusion\nwith dosing, and particularly potentially doubling-up on liquid analgesics/antipyretics including\nusing both prescription and non-prescription variants. Many reported giving safety advice frequently.\nAnti-inflammatories and omeprazole were also subject to potential double-dosing, as well as requests\nby consumers with contraindications, precautions, and drug interactions, and for inappropriate\nindications. Pharmacists described various interventions, including some that were potentially\nlife-saving. Pharmacy availability of medicines provides the potential for intervention that would not\nhappen in a general sales environment.
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